Improvement in ironing-machines



2 Sheets-Shet 1. J. MASON.

' Ironing-Machine'. N0.2o9,494. Patented oct. A29, 1878.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

`J. MASON. Ironing-Machine.

Patented Oct. 29, 1878.

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N-PETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAPHR, WASHINGTON. D C.

AUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSHA MASON, OF'PA'JERSON, NEV JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN IRONING-MAOHINES.

specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,494, dated october 29, 187s; application mea March 27,1878.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osuna` MASON, of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, form'- ing part of this specification.

-This invention more particularly relates to machines forironing shirts and other articles, in which one or more heatedv rollers or irons are used in combination with a reciprocating ironing-table.

The invention consists in a combination, with either ironing-roller or upper ironing del vice, of a removable close furnace of novel construction, and adapted to the burning of anthracite or other cheap fuel, for thepurpose of heating said roller or ironing device likewise, in a combination, with one or more ironingrollers and its or their furnaces, of a rocking yoke or frame for independently supporting said ironing and heating devices.

Furthermore, the invention consists in a combination, with either ironing body or roller having a furnace within it, of means for preventing the escape of soot or dirt therefrom onto the ironing-table; likewise, means for automatically holding the ironing roller or rollers raised when not in use, in combination with the main frame, a rocking yoke or frame, carrying said roller or rollers, and a treadle for controlling the pressure of'the latter on the work; also, means for giving an undulatory motion to the ironing-surface of the table, or of a goods-holder carried by the table, for o peration in connection with one or moreironingrollers or bodies.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a partly-sectional front-side elevation of an ironing-machine constructed in accordance with my elevation; Fig. 2, a plan of the same, and Fig. 3 a partly-sectional rear-side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view of certain trippingmechanism for controlling the motion of the reciprocating ironing-table and ironing-rollers. Fig. 5 is a transverse section `of the machine, upon a larger scale, through the line m in Fig. Il. Fig. 6 isa transverse section through one of the ironingrollers on the line y y in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 a transverse section of the same on the line z z. Fig. 8 is a plan of a frame used in connection with theironing-table for holding the goods, Y

and Fig. 9 a section ot' the same on the line w w.

A is the main frame of the machine, which frame may be of any suitable general construction. B is the ironing bed or table, arranged to reciprocate in a straight course in direction of as duplicate heated rollers wouldv be apt tov produce a too rapid drying, which would spoil the gloss. In other cases, however, when the goods are heavy, duplicate rollers, 4as here shown, may be used without injury to the gloss. For some goods, too, or certain portions of the same goods, a iiat-iron is preferable to the rollers, as will be hereinafter more particularly specified. Both rollers C C are similar, and are heated internally by a furnace of pecu liar construction, as hereinafter described, which furnace is also applicable to a fiat-iron, when the latter is use( The reciprocating ironing-table B works in suitable ways or on rollers across a center portion or win g, A1, of the frame A, in order that the ironing end portions of said table may be more accessible to the operator on all sides, free from interference by the main frame. The ironing-rollers or their upper ironingbodies are also similarly exposed to a greater or less extent. This facilitates the operator getting round or to different sides of the goods while being glossed.

The table B is moved forward and backward by means of one or more racks, b, on its under side and automatic reversing-gear or mechanism connected therewith. Thus, D is a horizontal driving-shaft, to which rotary motion is alternately communicated in opposite direc tions by one or other of two loose pulleys, E p E, on said shaft, accordingly as a frictionclutch, F, is thrown into driving-contact with either of said pulleys, that are driven to rotate in opposite directions, the one,.say, by a straight belt, and the other by a cross-belt,

from pulleys on a counter or main drivingshaft. The friction-clutch F is fittedl to slidea longitudinally on the shaft D, but so as to turn with it, to insure for the shaft D its necessary driving action alternately in opposite directions, accordingly as driving-friction is established between the friction-clutch F and either of the reversely-rotatin g pulleys E E. From this alternately reversely-moviug shaft D motion is communicated by bevel-gears c c to an upright shaft, G, which, in its turn, serves, by

means of bevel-gears d d, to operate a lower cross horizontal shaft, H, that, by means of one or more sets of gears, c f, communicates the requisite reciprocating travel to the table B.

Ihe'shaft D not only serves as a driver of the table B, but also as a driver, by means of bevelwheels g g and spur-gears h t lr, of the ironing-rollers (l C; and the several wheels and gears are so proportioned relatively to the outer or actin g surface of the rollers that the speed of said rollers on their ironing-surface is somewhat greater than the speed of the ironing-table, both the rollers and table, however, moving in the same direct-ion as regards their contiguous surfaces. The shaft D also forms the center of motion about or round which, by means of a free yoke or frame, I, the rollers C C, with their furnaces and other appendages, may be rocked or tilted to liftthe rollers from the table when it is required to introduce or remove the goods and to bring down the rollers with more or less pressure on the goods. Both rollers G C are tilted with similar shafts I, which have their bearing in the rocking yoke or frame l, the wheel 7c ofthe train of gear h z' k being fast on the shaft of the outer roller. These rollers may be raised when required, or their pressure on the goods regulated, by means of a treadle, J, connected with the rear end of the yoke I by a rod, m. On relieving the foot from pressure on the treadle the full weight of the rollers, together with their furnaces and other appendages, is brought down upon the goods and an increased weight or pressure is communicated when necessary to the rollers by means of an adjustable weight, fn, on a lever, K, connected by a rod, o, and saddle p with the shafts l l of the ironing rollers on the forward side of the free or swinging yoke I. rlhe action of this weighted lever K, too, is also controlled by the treadle J.

Pivoted to the main frame, at r, is a selfacting catch or bell-crank lever, L, the handle and heavier arm of which act as a weight to throw the other or lighter arm under the forward end of the yoke or frame I when the rollers C C are raised by the treadle J, for the purpose of automatically holding said rollers raised till it is required to lower them again,

when the handle-arm of the lever `L is raised to passits other arm from under the yoke I.

As it isvery important, to avoid scorching of the goods, that when the machine is in operation there should be as little as possible or no pause in the action of the ironing-table B and rollers C when the reversal in the motion of these devices takes place, and that said reversal should be an automatic one, the reciprocating table B is constructed or provided with stops s s, that, as the table approaches the ends of' its stroke, respectively and successively shift, first to one side and then to the other, a reversing-lever, M, attached to a rock shaft, N, which has connected with it tripping mechanism that alternately puts the friction-clutch F in driving contact with either one of the reversely-moving pulleys E El, and so reverses the motion of the ironing-table and ironing-rollers, as required. Each of the rollers C C is similarly heated by a furnace, Bl, arranged to fit within it and removable from the front end of the roller.

Said furnace, which is generally of a close cy'- lindrical construction,is of such. size and shape that when inserted in the roller it leaves a clear space all around it and at its back for the circulation of the gaseous products of combustion, or for a current of cooling air, as may be desired, between it and the interior surfaces of the ironing roller. Said furnace, which is constructed to burn anthracite coal or other cheap fuel, has its fire-box r and ashpit s all in one, t being the grate-bars, so that all fuel and ash are kept out of the roller.

Connected with the forward end of the furnace by an arm or bracket are duplicate upper rods, Cl G1, which pass back through guides u in the yoke or frame I, and serve not only to support the furnace independently of the roller, butalso to provide for its being slid in and out of the roller. The furnace, which is drawn out of the roller for charging and cleaning purposes, is provided with a sliding cover or top portion, a2, which is opened when lighting the fire, and is afterward closed. When 'the cover a2 is closed and the furnace in its place within the roller, the gaseous products of combustion are allowed to escape through a series of perforations, b2, in the cover a2, to the interior of the roller around the furnace, and from thence through apertures c2 in the back-end portion of the roller, to a smoke-box, (Z2, which the rear end of the roller is arranged to receive concentrically within it, and which has branching up from it the smoke-pipe e2. The front end of the furnace is titled with an ash-pit door, e3, and with an upperv door or doors, f2, which latter control a cold-air passage, gl, that, by means of apertures h2, serves to pass cold air to or around the outside of the furnace within the roller, for the purpose of regulating the temperature of the roller.

The head or front end of either roller is itted with an entering and removable ring, D,

ed to r.overlap the outer margin 'of the front v end or head of the furnace, which is stationary within the roller. The object of rthis ring is to preventash and dust or dirt from passing out through4 the front end of the roller. A trou gli-like shield, E2; which serves as a receptacle for soot or dirt from the furnace, is also arranged at the rear end of the roller, said shield being fast to, and receiving within it, the smoke-boX, and having its forward end turned over, 'so as to enter an annular crease, i2, in a reduced back peripherical portion of the roller. Thus the rotating ring D and the stationary shield E2 protect the goods under operation vfrom being soiled. t

When ironingthe bosoms of shirts, a more perfect glossisobtained and the work generally is better done by means of the rollers C C, working in connectionwith the reciprocating ironing-table, than if a flat-iron were used in place of the rollers; but when itis required to iron the bodies and sleeves of said garments, then rollers are not suitable,` and a rcversible Hat-iron, G', is used instead. This reversible flat-iron is arranged over the opposite end of the reciprocating ironing-table B to that which is occupied by the rollers, and is heated by an interior furnace, which is constructed like the furnaces in the rollers, the interior of the reversible flat-iron being cylindrical, to correspond with the circular furnace, and the latter being supportedin position by rods G1 C1, passing through guides u a', also bein g removable, when required, on taking out the ring D in the front end of the iron. Said {iat-iron is not only reversiblearound or about its incloserl furnace, but is hung so as to be capable of manipulation in all necessary directions, certain means for accomplishing which and for providing for the escape of the smoke from the furnace it is not necessary here to describe, as it is my intention to make them the subject of a separate application for Letters Patent, and other means might be employed.

To iron shirt-bosoms having plaits or other articles or portions of articles which .present a varying thickness at different points, I construct the ironing-surface beneath the rollers C C, so that while firm to resist pressure, it has an Aundulatory motion in a transverse direction to the reciprocating course of the table B, whereby the whole weight or pressure of the ironing-rollers is applied at varied points successively in said transverse direction according to the varying thickness of material in the shirt-bosom by reason of its plaits or other Varticle of varying thickness. This may be done either by constructing the reciprocating table B with a series of independent rigid bars, arranged side by side,and made to successively rise and fall, or by means of a shirt- Abosom or goods holder similarly constructed and placed on the table, or by the combination of such aholder with a table constructed as described, which latter is the arrangement I prefer. Thus the reciprocating table B has its end portion which works under` the rollers (l C provided -with a series of parallel rigid bars, a3 a3, arranged lengthwise of said table and fitted to independently rise and fall within the table. These bars are successively raised during the reciprocating motion of the table, or, in other words, have an undulatory motion communicated to them by means of two rotatingcams, A2 A2, of a semi-spiral configuration in direction of their length, and arranged transversely across the lunder side of the table. Said cams may be rotated by means of bevelgears b3 c3 from a shaft, B2, carried by the table, and fitted with a driving pulley, d3, through whichsaid shaftis free to slide by means ofa feather;

C2 is a shirt-bosom or goods holder, formed in part of an independent frame, which is constructed to slide or iit within ways in the table B over the portion thereof' having the bars a3 a3 in it. The headof said frame has a knot or projection, e3, over which the neck of a shirt to be ironed is passed, while the body of the shirt, immediately below its bosom f3, after the latter has been stretched on or over the frame, is secured by a key, g3, beveled on its upper edge and entered by creasing the shirt down within a transverse sloping groove, h3, in the holder C2, and so that the beveled edge ofthe key locks under a shoulder,`i3, of the groove h3. This gives a firm hold of the shirtbosom on the frame G2, secure from all interference with its stretch by the ironing operation; but on lifting the tail or body end of the shirt the key g3 is readily lifted out from under the shoulder t3 of the groove h3 to remove the shirt after its bosom has been ironed.

The main body or portion of the goods-holding frame C2 is fitted or provided with a series of parallel loose or independent rigid bars, k3, arranged over the bars a3 and runningI in the same direction as the latter, so that said bars k3 have the same undulatorymotion by the ac tion of the cams A2 A2 as the bars a3 a3, subject, however, to a certain elastic action by means of the interposition between the bars a and k3 of any number of india-rubber or other yielding cross-strips Z3. The undulatory mot-ion of the rigid bars k3 provides for the same rm pressing action on the shirt-bosom as if the latter were directly subjected to pressure on the bars a3; but the interposed rubber strips Z3 prevent the sharp edges of the bars k3 from marking thebosom, and give a certain yielding action for said bars, which, however, by their rigidity have a greatly improved glossin g effect or action to what could possibly be attained by a wholly flexible under ironing surface.

I claiml. The combination, with the rocking yoke t furnace, B1, of cylindrical construction, provided with an opening and closing perforated cover, a2, also with a cold-air regulating pasand one or more furnaces, B1, arranged within,

said rollers, and having smoke-boxes d2 in rear of the rollers, substantially as specified.

5. The self-acting catch or bell-crank lever L, in combination with the main frame A, the

rocking yoke or frame I, one or more ironingrollers, C, carried by said yoke or frame, and the treadle J, substantially as specified.

v 6. The reciprocating ironing-table B, provided witha series of rising and falling loose parallel bars, a3, on its upper surface, in com` bination with one or more ironing-rollers or upper ironing devices, and means for 'success-V ively lifting said bars to give an undulatory ironing-surface to the table, essentially as described.

7. The goods-holder C2, fitted with a series of loose parallel bars, k3, in combination with the reciprocating table B, having also a series of loose parallel bars, k3, the interposed elastic strips Z3, and means for communicating an undulatory motion to the bars a3 k3, substantially as specied.

8. The partially-spiral rotating cams A2, in combination with the reciprocating ironingtable B, having loose parallel rising and falling bars a3 in or on its upper surface, substantially as specified.

JOSHUA MASON. Witnesses:

VERNON H. HARRIS, FRED. HAYNES. 

